Fractured
by Scarlett Green
Summary: Vanitas was empty, but Roxas brought him light. He said he'd never leave, but he left for Axel, leaving Vanitas with his twin, and Ventus without a clue to what Roxas saw in Vanitas. VaniVen. Slight VaniRoku & AkuRoku.
1. Vanitas

A/N: First KH fanfiction in a while. First fanfiction in a while, really. First BBS fanfiction. Excuse the list of firsts. Anyways, enjoy and reviews are greatly appreciated. :)

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Kingdom Hearts series nor any of the characters. That's Square Enix/Disney.

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><p><strong>Chapter 1:<strong> Vanitas.

Thunder rolled off in the distance and the clouds began to darken. People started rushing back to their homes and off the streets. A storm was surely coming, and quick, at the rate of the blackening clouds.

A lone boy with spiked, black hair and amber eyes gazed up at the sky with hatred. He shifted to fit under his makeshift, cardboard roof and sighed lightly. Maybe he really shouldn't have run away… He scoffed at the thought. Here he was, sitting in a back alley of the busy city, seeking shelter under some cardboard he had found in the recycling of the newspaper company. He chose to make his "dwelling" a few blocks down from the building in case anyone possibly noticed that the two big cardboard boxes were missing. His stomach growled. He covered his stomach with his arms and brought his legs up towards his chest. The rain started to fall from the sky.

Maybe he shouldn't have run away… He shook his head, there he was, thinking those stupid thoughts again. Who were they kidding? No one was going to adopt a scrawny teenager with a short temper and an attitude for rebellion. No one was going to adopt him. So he ran away. The raven haired boy scowled at the rain as it started to come down harder. He hated foster homes anyways. For the long seventeen or so years of his life, he'd been alone. He could handle being alone. Dropped off to the adoption agency because his irresponsible parents didn't want him. He didn't really even know how old he was. They said he looked seventeen, so he must've been seventeen. He went along with it; it wasn't like he had any other choice. And besides, as long as he wasn't legal, the agency could keep him there and get more money from the government for his one head among the other kids there. He didn't really miss it. The agency, the foster homes; they were never kind to him anyways. Not that he was particularly nice either. All he really missed was food in his stomach and a non-leaking roof over his head. He grunted as water droplets began to fall from his "roof". He huffed and wrapped his arms around his knees. If he closed his eyes, he could imagine a warm fireplace and the smell of a nice home-cooked meal. If he held on long enough, there'd be a comfy bed and a starry night sky out his window.

"You okay? Kid?"

The boy's amber eyes opened to glare at whoever disturbed his imaginings but his gaze caught bright blue orbs that twinkled with curiosity. He blinked. The boy across from him was holding the "roof" of the box gingerly to support himself, and between his shoulder and his neck, he supported a black and white checkered umbrella. His blonde hair practically defied gravity with his neatly put spikes that were only slightly damp due to the rain.

The dark haired boy didn't respond, his eyes staring forward, cold and calculating.

The blonde raised his eyebrow, cautiously holding out his hand to the amber eyed boy. "Come on, I'm not gonna bite… but you're gonna catch a cold if you stay here all night."

The boy just stared at him and then his hand. Was he offering him a place to stay?

"Come on, kid. I've got a spare room. Might as well stay the night."

The boy was hesitant but his amber eyes flickered with a spark of hope. He took the hand gently and stepped out from under the wet cardboard. He felt a few drops on his head before the blonde's umbrella covered him. He looked at the blue eyed boy and found him smiling softly. He was curious, interested even, but he didn't smile back.

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><p>The blonde boy tossed the raven haired boy a towel with a quick, "the shower's down the hall on your right" before disappearing into what the raven assumed was his bedroom.<p>

Although curiosity often got the best of him, the tanned boy ran a hand through his dark hair and obeyed, walking down the hall and entering the bathroom. He set the towel on the rack and turned on the tap before he began undressing. A nice hot shower. He sighed under the spray of water and wondered how long the blonde boy would allow him to stay.

Once he finished, he turned off the tap and stepped out of the shower, grabbing the towel off the rack and drying himself. There was a knock at the door. Covering himself quickly, the dark haired boy walked over and opened the door a crack. The blonde boy asked for his used clothing and handed over some clothes that "would probably fit". After nodding a bit out of thanks, the boy closed the door. He dressed quickly and looked himself over in the mirror. The blonde's checkered shirt hung loosely on his skinny frame and the black pants hung a little too low, but were thankfully held up by a belt. His hair was still untidy, although he tried to make it at least a little more decent. His natural spikes refused to adjust to his will so he sighed, gave up and left the bathroom.

"Feel better?" The blonde turned his head at the sound of footsteps. The raven nodded slowly. "That's good." He gave a soft grin and patted the area next to him on the couch. "Come sit with me."

The boy complied, sitting more towards the edge of the couch, away from the blonde. His back was straight and his hands were clenched in tight fists.

The blonde gazed at him strangely, he didn't think himself to be intimidating but the young raven seemed to believe so. "You can relax," he stated calmly, "I wouldn't hurt you."

Amber eyes locked with the other boy's deep blues before he visibly relaxed.

"I'm Roxas." The blonde gave a tiny grin, reaching his hand out to offer a handshake, "what's your name?"

The dark haired boy stared at the hand, not speaking or moving for what felt like hours. He didn't lift his tan hand to shake the blonde's pale one until he spoke, and when he did, the grip was light and quick, and his lips barely seemed to move.

Roxas furrowed his eyebrows. "What did you say?"

"I said my name, dumbass. Vanitas."


	2. Roxas

**A/N:** Wow, so I actually had this done quite a few days ago, but I kind of wanted my friend to read it before I uploaded it, so here it is! Thank you to my three reviewers **kawaiisonnikku**, **Sunny** **side** **of** **cookies**, and **Dormouse** **Of** **Dreams**! :3 Your comments really made me smile, I'm glad you're all enjoying it! And just so you know: VaniRoku is a minor pairing, but (as you could probably tell), it's what starts it all off. I won't tell you any more, but despite the fic's passive nature at the moment, things'll start to speed up pretty soon, so keep checking back!

Considering this is my first actual fic in a while, I'm actually really happy people are enjoying this. Your sweet reviews and comments keep me going, so thank you very much! :D I hope you enjoy this chapter!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Kingdom Hearts. I wish I did, but sadly I don't. I still think Vanitas is a pretty badass bad guy, just sayin'.

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><p><strong>Chapter 2:<strong> Roxas.

"Vanitas?" Roxas tapped the tanned boy's shoulder lightly. Vanitas was sitting on the windowsill with his back against the wall, staring out over the city. He shrugged the blonde away but said nothing.

Over the past week, Vanitas was rather quiet, but when he did talk, he never really said the nicest of things. Roxas mostly saw him sitting around, staring out at the city as if fascinated by being above all the pedestrians and cityfolk. Roxas just had to find something to get the raven haired boy to talk… it'd be useless letting him stay if he wasn't going to attempt to be friends, let alone do anything to his benefit.

"Hey… I'm going to work, ok?" Roxas was a journalist. He was young but probably one of the best the company had. Coming straight from university, he thought he'd have no chance but surprisingly his knack for writing got him in.

Roxas adjusted his tie and patiently waited for Vanitas to respond. When, of course, the other boy said nothing, he rolled his eyes and left without another word.

Vanitas stepped down from the windowsill once he heard the door close and lock. Today, he decided, he'd do something other than lazing around.

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><p>"Roxas?"<p>

The blonde walked out of the coffee shop only to bump into another spiky haired blonde. He shook his head faintly, a light smile at the corner of his lips, "Morning Cloud."

"For a minute I thought you were Ven, but then I noticed the suit." The taller and older male chuckled, "You're not usually one for coffee." He remarked.

"Must be in the blood," Roxas remarked, following the other male back inside the shop. "I mean, Mom and Dad drank coffee or tea almost constantly. You're here every day-"

"Well, I work here, Roxas."

"-and Ven pretty much needs it too. I'm the only one who isn't almost completely dependent on caffeine. I have a cup sometimes though, like a treat."

Cloud chucked at the boy's ramblings. "Are you coming to Mom and Dad's this weekend? You know they're expecting you."

Roxas grimaced and shook his head, "Can't. My deadline's Monday morning. I'm staying late at the office tomorrow and I'll certainly be taking my work home over the weekend." He sighed, "I never used to be this busy…"

"Well, that was before they realized your talent… which, in my opinion, they should've saw from your first article." Cloud nearly snorted. "All right, I'll let them know and come by on Sunday. Mom'll likely set a week's worth of food aside for you."

The younger boy bit his lip but nodded. "I'll see you then." He bid his brother goodbye before exiting the shop and continuing on his way to work. His steps were light as his grip on his suitcase tightened. He'd have to make sure he was home on Sunday.

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><p>"Vanitas?" Roxas opened the door to his apartment, carefully adjusting the bag of take-out in his arms. He set his briefcase down and shut the door with his foot. "Vanitas?" He called again. The blonde made his way to the small kitchen and set the large bag on the counter. He furrowed his eyebrows. Vanitas usually said some sort of remark back.<p>

Roxas loosened his tie and scratched the back of his head. He approached the other boy's room cautiously. "Vanitas…?" The door was open a crack so he pushed it gently. The raven haired boy was asleep against the windowsill with almost an angelic glow about him. Papers were scattered all over the cool, hardwood floor. Some crumpled, some blank, some with harsh, dark scribbles over gentle strokes. Roxas picked up one of the flattened papers that didn't have harsh scribbles. It was a drawing, and a magnificent drawing at that. The drawing was of a simple flower, but it made the blonde smile gently. The raven wasn't as cold and heartless as he seemed to try to be. He dropped the paper gingerly and took a crumpled ball near the slumbering boy's foot. He unfolded it slowly, careful not to rip it, and his eyes widened. The blonde held the paper against the wall and smoothed it out lightly. It was as if he was staring at himself from above; the drawing was of him sleeping peacefully. Or maybe not so peacefully, his eyebrows were furrowed and his hands gripped the sheets tightly. When did he…?

"Hmmm…" Vanitas stirred lightly. Gasping, Roxas folded the paper gently and stuffed it in his pocket. The raven haired boy's tan hand reached up to rub his eye as he yawned. "When did you get back?"

"Uh… just now, actually." The blonde loosened his tie further. "You didn't respond so I came to check up on you, and I found you sleeping…" His voice trailed off to a bare whisper. Vanitas didn't seem to be listening, instead he stared at Roxas intently, like if he had two heads. "What?"

Vanitas remained silent for a moment as if content with staring at the blonde. "…Your eyes are really… blue." He shook his head lightly like he was breaking himself from a trance. His eyes were downcast, and his voice was gentle. "I mean, I've noticed that they are… y'know, blue… but they're just so… so blue. Like how you'd picture the ocean to be when you're staring out on it from the beach. And they're deep like the depths of the ocean where it's dark but quiet. Scary yet peaceful." Kind of like you went unsaid.

A small grin played at the edges of Roxas's lips. He carefully took the stack of papers from the raven's lap and placed them on the bed. The boy looked up, but Roxas pulled him to his chest and pressed his lips softly against the crown of the other boy's head. His dark hair brushed gently against his cheeks. "Thank you." Roxas whispered, "That's the sweetest thing anyone has ever said about me."

Vanitas allowed himself a tiny smile and closed his eyes. Sighing, he relaxed in the blonde's arms and for once, he felt at home.

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><p><strong>AN:** Exams are coming up soon, so I can't really say when the next update will be, but I'll try for it to be as soon as possible! Leave me some lovely reviews to motivate me to write faster? :3


	3. Special

A/N: SUPER sorry for the late update! Everything's been super busy so far, so even though I had this done for a while, I didn't really get a chance to upload it. Thanks for the reviews and I will try my absolute best to upload the next chapter around next week since I'll be gone this week at a sports camp. Hope you enjoy! (And sorry for this really short message :x)

**Disclaimer:** The only thing I own is the plot. Everything else belongs to Squeenix/Disney.

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><p><strong>Chapter 3:<strong> Special.

Vanitas woke up to Roxas's sleeping face. It was different than all the times he had seen the blonde sleeping. Especially for the first few days, the raven had crept out of his room once he was sure his host was asleep. He didn't do much, he just stood over the shorter boy and observed him. Why? Vanitas often asked himself. Why would Roxas let him into his home so easily? He didn't know anything about him. The amber eyed boy could've been a runaway convict for all he knew.

But that last night changed Vanitas's opinion. Two nights ago, he'd snuck out of bed and tiptoed over to the master bedroom as silently as he could. The door was slightly ajar, as usual, so he didn't hesitate in opening it.

Then a scream ripped through the air, and he ducked, hoping Roxas wouldn't throw something at him. Silence was the only response. Slowly, he opened his amber eyes and moved closer towards the queen sized bed. Roxas was still asleep. The raven haired boy stood hesitantly. Blue eyes were screwed shut, blonde hair was dampened a bit and sweat gathered on the boy's forehead. His eyebrows were furrowed and his hands gripped the sheets tightly. Vanitas reached a hand out to brush back the blonde hair in front of the closed blue eyes, but a cry came out from the blonde's throat. He was asleep, but he was crying. Dry sobs wracked the boy's small body and Vanitas found himself wondering why. Who could've caused this boy so much pain that he was haunted even in his sleep?

Vanitas glanced up towards the small calendar on the wall next to the bed. Today; August 13th was circled in a bright red marker. Today was special to Roxas.

The next day, Roxas had acted as though it was a normal day; as if nothing happened.

Vanitas tucked the boy's blonde hair behind his ear only to feel him flinch away slightly. He sighed. Sure, he trusted the blonde far more than he would admit out loud, but he still felt a little dejected. The raven haired boy brought his hand back under his pillow and admired the slumbering form.

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><p>"Vanitas?" Roxas called from his study.<p>

The raven opened the door slowly as if he wasn't sure if he was just imagining the blonde calling him. "…Yeah?"

Roxas looked up from his papers to the clock. "Go to your room."

Vanitas furrowed his eyebrows, an incredulous gleam in his eyes. "…Why?" He felt as if his heartstrings had been tugged. That's right, he was just a ward of his host.

"My older brother's coming over soon. I don't need him to think I'm picking up strays." Even though I am went unsaid.

Vanitas bit his lip as to not snap, "so that's what I am" but simply nodded stiffly. "Fine." And he left.

Roxas sighed when he heard Vanitas's bedroom door slam. He didn't mean to be harsh; he was just being cautious.

The doorbell rang.

Roxas's cerulean eyes were almost exhausted as he gazed over to his study door. Slowly, he got up and exited the small room and made his way to the front door. He opened it hesitantly. "Hi Cloud."

"Hey there, squirt." The taller blonde offered out a white plastic bag. "Here. From Mom."

"Thanks."

Cloud made his way past his little brother and into the apartment. "You look like you need a break. Want a coffee?" He went to the kitchen.

"Uh, sure." The shorter boy stepped awkwardly to the side.

"How have you been?"

"All right. Busy with work, that's about it."

"Is he still bothering you?"

The taller blonde was met with silence.

"Roxas? He's not pestering you is he?" Cloud's gaze was stern.

"…Well, not really. He calls, texts, emails, and such. I just don't answer. I'm not ready to answer."

"So you leave them." It was a statement rather than a question.

"Well, what else am I supposed to do?"

"Tell him to leave you alone. Tell him I'll kick his ass if he doesn't leave you alone."

Roxas sighed. "He's not afraid of you…"

"His brother is."

"But he's not like Reno-"

The short boy was cut off by a door opening.

Cloud instantly turned his eyes on his younger brother. "Who's here?" He whispered sternly.

Another door closed. The bathroom, Roxas figured, Vanitas had to use the bathroom.

Roxas sighed. "Don't worry about it, Cloud. My friend's just spending the night-"

"Who, Roxas?"

He shook his head, "Just a friend. It's not him. Stop worrying about it."

"I'd like to meet your friend."

The younger boy gritted his teeth. Stupid overprotective brother. He didn't even know enough about Vanitas to answer half of Cloud's questions…! "Vanitas?" he called softly after he heard the bathroom door open again.

"…Yeah?" was the hesitant response.

"Come to the kitchen." Roxas heard the boy sigh, then gradually make his way over. His footsteps seemed tired. When the boy came into view, Roxas gestured towards the taller male, "This is my brother, Clou-"

"Roxas, isn't that the shirt that Namine bought you for your last birthday?" Shit.

"Uh… yeah. He was just spending the night and he didn't bring any clothes so I let him borrow some of mine." Vanitas gave the blonde a puzzled look to which the blonde tried to silence with a harsh glare.

Cloud glanced between the two. "Roxas, you're lying through your teeth." He turned on Vanitas. "How long have you been staying here?"

"A bit over a week."

Cloud turned back to Roxas with a slight glare. "Moving on so soon, are you?"

"W-What? Cloud, no! He just needed a place to stay and I was sort of lonely… that's all!"

"What's your relationship with my brother?" Cloud's arms were crossed over his chest.

Vanitas furrowed his eyebrows. "I don't…know."

"Oh? Well, have you had sex-"

"Cloud!" The shorter blonde looked about ready to punch the older male. "I am not a whore!"

Cloud scoffed. "Your relationship with what's-his-face was enough to make me think otherwise."

Roxas's face visibly coloured. "I didn't-… I wasn't-…" He was at a loss for words.

Vanitas raised his eyebrow. "No, we haven't slept together in that sense."

The eldest male turned back to the raven haired boy. "What do you mean by in that sense?"

"Yes, we have slept in the same bed, mostly out of his laziness, but we haven't had any form of sexual relations." Vanitas rolled his eyes.

The tallest blonde eyed the other boy carefully, rather indifferent to the boy's word choice or even what he said for that matter. He spoke almost hesitantly. "Do you have feelings for my brother?"

Roxas was flabbergasted. "Cloud! How could you just ask that out of the blue? Of course he doesn't! Fucking hell, it's only been a week!"

"Let the kid speak for himself." Cloud didn't take his eyes off the raven, which unnerved the latter slightly, but he chose to respond anyways.

"Feelings? Maybe so, maybe not. I haven't entirely decided yet." He paused. "I have decided though, that he is special to me…" His voice trailed off to a whisper.

Roxas stood slightly agape, but Cloud only shook his head, smirking a bit as if he knew he was right all along. "I don't think I need to tell you not to hurt him then. You look like you knew that already." He went over and ruffled the dark locks even though the boy flinched away. "I like you already, kid. Hmm." He furrowed his brow in thought. "Although Roxas is a terrible liar… You've been the more honest out of you kids… And you're surprisingly sincere, despite that glare you keep sending me." He chuckled. "Treat him better than Axel did." He added as a whisper above the raven's ear.

Axel. Vanitas thought back. The calendar with August 13th circled. It said something in that small square. If the boy remembered correctly it said "A + R anniversary!" Vanitas fit the pieces together. A was for Axel. R was for Roxas.

Vanitas glanced at Roxas who was attempting to scold his brother. He had a look of rage on his face but a loneliness in his eyes, a longing. That was it. Axel was special to Roxas.

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><p>Now that I look back on it... this was shorter than I expected x_x. Oh well. I hope you enjoy! Hahaha, more to come, I promisssseeee!<p> 


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